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GIJoeCon 2018 has come and gone and I’m still playing catch-up posting the convention coverage. The JBL staff (IE Fred) drove to the con this year and apparently making the solo 8.5 hour drive back in 9.5 hours wasn’t the best idea in the world. Maybe it’s true what Indiana Jones said:

It’s not the years… it’s the mileage…

Regardless, I managed to post a few LIVE videos over on JBL’s Facebook page with a quick look at the various souvenir items. I’ve archived them below for easy viewing. In reverse order, these videos cover the following:

GIJoeCon 2018 is one for the history books. The last official Joe Con is over with the G.I. Joe Collector’s Club conducting one last Club Roundtable panel on Sunday June 24, 2018. However, the Club didn’t go out with a whimper but instead surprised fans not only with some retrospective slide shows and musings about what the past 22 years of conventions have meant to them and the community but also with a final slate of exclusive products set to drop in the coming weeks.

Note: we have no information on pricing, release date, or even overall availability. However, if the sellout of the Dreadnok 4WD with Heartwrencher was any indication, it’s best to pre-order these as soon as possible after the orders go live.

GIJoeCon 2018 is almost officially here but last night was the Golden Ticket package pickup! This means that Golden Ticket Holders were able to not only acquire their convention sets one night early (more on this later) but they were also able to pick up their 2018 G.I. Joe Collector’s Convention comic books– which included the following souvenir list:

To new eyes, it can be a confusing mess of alternate versions of Ripcord and Snake Eyes, Baroness/Duke/Destro love triangles (thanks for that Rise of Cobra), and conflicting origins. What’s a fan to do?

Enter “MacDowin”. Long-time G.I. Joe fan and former YoJoe.com staffer, he’s taken on the task of producing short topical videos that shed some light on our favorite brand of “Real American Heroes.” Focusing initially on the ARAH-side of things, the “G.I. Joe: Basic Training” series tackles a single aspect of the brand in a weekly video.

You can check out Episode 1: Continuity below!

I won’t lie– when MacDowin and I talked about this we discussed what a herculean undertaking this would be. Where do you start? Where do you end? Does Ice Cream Soldier eventually get his own episode?

Thankfully, MacDowin was up to the task! In fact, he’s current THREE episodes in with a fourth dropping soon. So, if you’re looking to catch up on your G.I. Joe facts or just want some Joe-related content in your YouTube feed, check out G.I. Joe: Basic Training! If you like the episodes, hit the “subscribe” button so that you’ll never miss out on an single installment!

Ah… Munitia… I’ve been waiting for this reveal ever since the Club announced her as part of FSS 8.

There are some characters that fans just find appealing, regardless of how little media presence that character may receive. Such is the case with this mysterious mercenary femme fatale. Munitia was initially slated to be released as part of the DTC Wave 4, a series of G.I. Joe that was exclusive to both HasbroToyShop.com and Toys R Us at the end of the o-ring era. Sadly, that wave was cancelled along with the rest of the Direct-to-Consumer line and G.I. Joe went into a hiatus period at retail. (Sound familiar? The pendulum swings…) Continue reading →

Recoil occupies an interesting space in G.I. Joe to me. He was released not long after I stopped actively buying figures so I have zero nostalgia attached to him. He was also pictured on the package of the Battle Force 2000 Pulverizer as the driver without actually being a member of that ill-fated team. (Dodged a bullet there, didn’t he?) I discovered the character as an adult during the “hiatus period” post DTC but pre 25th Anniversary and found his design to be interesting. Sure, there’s the whole Devo helmet and the baby blue weapons but aside from that his figure design and file card made him an interesting character to this Joe fan.

Sometimes, there’s so much to love about a figure that I don’t know where to begin. This is one of those times.

I’m pretty unapologetic when it comes to my love of the Valor Vs. Venom era of G.I. Joe. It was a time when the line straddled a delicate line of appealing to both kids and adult collectors and it did it well. The toys were rugged and build for kids but there were enough nods to the line’s past that Collector’s were happy. Yes, there were some design and proportion issues but it honestly felt like the brand was moving FORWARD in a way that I’ve not really seen since. It embraced the old while still attempting the new. Continue reading →

Be honest– did you ever think we’d have a modern update to the G.I. Joe shuttle pilot?

Of all of the figures on the FSS 8 roster, Payload was likely to be the hardest to pull off. Simply put– there aren’t a lot of parts out there that can emulate the original 1987 Payload very easily. The shuttle astronaut featured a fairly unique build with a lot of specialized parts. Continue reading →

The signature design element of the original 1988 Blizzard (to my eyes) was his uniquely-designed removable helmet. Rather than a hood or a stocking cap, this guy went full bore with a combat helmet and attached googles. It gave him a tactical look that set him apart from being written off as “just another guy in a thick coat.” Continue reading →